Dark Legacy
by Special Agent X
Summary: Sequel to SMDM&BW episodes “Kill Oscar” set just after “Fembots in Las Vegas”.To spare Jaime from more trauma, Steve leads the post crisis investigation, but when things turn ugly, Jaime may be Steve’s only hope. Dr Franklin's evil legacy has just begun.
1. Prologue

**Dark Legacy**

**Prologue: **

**December 23, 1976 - New York**

Her father was in a federal prison awaiting trial.

Katherine Franklin had always been kept in the dark and shielded by other family members from any knowledge of her father. At 12 years of age she has no memories of what kind of man her real father was. The only one in her family that was even close to her father was her older brother Carl..

Her father, Dr Jonathan Franklin, employed by the OSI was a brilliant scientist and a leading pioneer in cybernetic technology along side his rival Dr Rudy Wells who was developing Bionics.

Under the supervision of Oliver Spencer, Franklin made his first break through in a prototype weather control satellite which won overwhelming support from top directors at the OSI. Although Spencer rejected Franklin's proposal for funding his robot soldier project, Franklin's working relationship with the OSI remained fair. Unfortunately, things did take a turn for the worse when Oscar Goldman succeeded Spencer's former position as head of OSI.

Franklin's grandiose delusions about using the weather satellite as a devastating weapon clashed with Goldman's ideas of solving geographical problems such as controlling floods and irrigation of desert climates. Their continuing quarrels eventually led to Franklin termination of employment at OSI and his weather control satellite being shelved .

Not long after that, Franklin split from his wife Caroline for reasons that had been accumulating between the two for several years. Katherine remained with her mother until her mother died a few years later. Her memories of her mother remained strong but her memories of her father were vague as are her memories of her older brother Carl who was 15 years her senior. Although she was very young when her mother died, she can't help but remember sensing that her mother had a fear of her older brother Carl..

Already at the age of 12, Katherine has taken after her father. She has proven to be a gifted student, far ahead of her grade level and has earned a scholarship to The Daystrom Institute for gifted students and resides with her current guardians, her mother's sister and her husband in Manhattan during holidays and Summer vacation .

Katherine has been recently notified that she will be receiving a visit from her older brother Carl whom she barely knows. Her Aunt and Uncle fought with every legal means through the courts to keep Katherine's estranged father and brother away from her. With no luck and further court hearings pending, Carl has been granted visitation rights to visit his younger sister.

Due to the government's cover-up, she has been kept in the dark (as the American public was also) about her father's recent actions. She knows her father has spent the last several months in a federal prison awaiting trial but for what? "What has her father done ?" , she thought to herself many times over. Was he the madman criminal that her Aunt and Uncle made him out to be ?

Katherine's Aunt and Uncle's overprotection and constant shielding only made her more determined to learn the truth about her surviving immediate family members, especially her father. She can only hope that this visit from Carl could shed some light on her father's past.

As she stepped out of the elevator of her Aunt and Uncle's the high rise apartment building , she immediately recognized her brother Carl standing across the lobby. They stood facing each other until Carl finally spoke to break the awkward moment.

"It's good to see you again Kathy." Carl said. "There's a lot that we must discuss."

"How's our father doing?" Katherine asked.

"Not well I'm afraid" Carl replied. "I'm afraid that I bring bad news. Our father is dying and it's only a matter of time."

As the overwhelming sadness consumed Katherine, she finally spoke up while fighting back tears of both pain and anger - pain because she finally had the opportunity to know both her father and her brother only to find out that it will be short lived, and anger she feels towards her Aunt and Uncle, and her mother before them for keeping her from her father and brother. "I want to go see him," Katherine said.

"I've already made arrangements for you to do so," Carl assured her.

"You and I are both destined to playing a key role in carrying out our father's legacy."

Katherine had no idea what her brother meant. "Aunt Ellen and Uncle Michael will never allow me to visit our father," Katherine commented.

"There's nothing they can do about it," Carl told her. "The law will not prevent a dying man from seeing his daughter one last time."

Carl's words were reassuring to Katherine and she wanted to drop everything and run off with her brother but although she was angry at her aunt and uncle for preventing her from ever getting to know her father and brother in the past, she still loved them and didn't want to leave them alone on Christmas.

"I want to go but I can't just leave now," Katherine said.

"I will make the proper arrangements and then come for you next week" Carl replied. "That will still leave you and I enough quality time to spend with our father."

Moments later after saying her goodbye to her brother, Katherine stepped into the elevator leading to the level of her Aunt and Uncle's apartment. The visit from her brother was just the start and she couldn't get nearly enough of what her brother had to tell her. She was looking forward to spending the following week with her brother and visiting her father. Her fascination and curiosity were growing for knowledge of her father, and his work was an like an addictive drug for her. The more she had, the more she wanted. She felt as if a higher calling had reached out to her and she was destined to do something extraordinary.


	2. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1**

October 17, 1977-Nevada - Ground Zero

An abandoned building that just five days prior served as a base of operations for Carl Franklin now laid in ruins destroyed by an energy ray weapon from a thousand miles in space.

Military cranes and bulldozers were clearing the wreckage and several military personnel were scattered all over the ruins searching through rubble under the orders of Oscar Goldman.

Heading in the salvaging operation was a fatigued Steve Austin, who'd just returned 24 hours prior from a lunar moon mission. (As seen in "Dark Side of the Moon parts 1 and 2".)

At his side was Toby Rawlins, the late Doctor Jonathan Franklin's assistant, who has agreed to assist the OSI 's investigation in an exchange for a lighter sentence on pending charges for the role he played during the first fembot crisis and the kidnapping of Oscar Goldman.

Rawlins had been Dr Jonathan Franklin's assistant ever since Franklin's dismissal from the OSI years earlier and was facing serious charges of conspiracy to espionage, conspiracy to the kidnapping of Linda Wilson, Peggy Callahan and Oscar Goldman and the most serious charge of all: conspiracy to terrorism.

Two days ago, Toby Rawlins had received an unexpected visit in his prison cell from Oscar Goldman. Goldman briefed him on Carl Franklin and the second fembot crisis and made him an offer for a lighter sentence but even more important, redemption.

Rawlins thought back to the previous day. To his surprise, instead of being greeted by a group of armed OSI agents, he had been released to the sole custody of Colonel Steve Austin.

Rawlins almost didn't recognize Steve Austin at first. Gone was Steve's mustache and his hair seemed longer and wavier than Rawlins remembered from the previous year during the first fembot crisis. It wasn't until Steve raised his left eyebrow and greeted him that Rawlins recognized him.

As Steve and Toby neared the main gate of the prison facility, Steve took out a key."You know my secret..." Steve said as he undid Rawlin's handcuffs. "And I am assuming that you know that you will not get very far if you try to run off on me ."

"I assure you that my only motive is to assist you in any way that I can in this investigation," Rawlins replied. "And do my time so that I can someday return to a somewhat normal life."

Instead of replying to Rawlins, Steve just gave him a skeptic glance.

As they exited the facility, Rawlins immediately spotted the running helicopter on the west side landing strip. As he and the skeptical Steve Austin boarded the chopper, Steve wasted no time on further briefing Rawlins on the latest crisis. They were halfway to Nevada by the time Steve and Rawlins finished comparing notes.

"I was unaware that Dr Franklin's son Carl was a robot, considering that I have met him on several occasions." Rawlins said.

"This is what has us worried," Steve said as he continued Rawlins' briefing. "This model of Carl Franklin continued to fully function even after Oscar Goldman and Rudy Wells destroyed the Fembot Control Unit immobilizing all the other fembots." Toby Rawlins nodded, knowing all too well what Steve was implying.

Steve continued, "Based on OSI's intelligence report, we can only assume that either Jonathan or Carl Franklin has left another FCU functioning somewhere out there and we have to be open to the possibility that there may be more of Dr Franklin's creations roaming around."

"Colonel Austin," Rawlins interjected, "it sounds to me like the Carl model may have been the same type as the Katie model that we used to gain access to the Weather Control Satellite. "

"The Katie Model ?" Steve asked.

"Actually there were two of them," Rawlins went on to explain. "The one you've encountered and disabled at our first base of operations during your attempt to rescue Oscar Goldman was the decoy model."

"You mean the robot with the red hair that attacked me along with that Callahan robot?" Steve recalled. 

Rawlins continued. "There was two models. Dr Franklin designed, created and named Katie after his late wife but obviously a younger looking version of the late Mrs Franklin.."

This was news to Steve.

Rawlins went on to explain further. "The other Katie model was always at Dr Franklin's side. He used her to make an impression when he presented her to Baron Constantine for the extra funding. This model runs independently without an FCU like the other models. It was a unique model design which Dr Franklin planned as a failsafe. The Katie model would still be functioning today if it had not been struck down by lightning while pursuing you and Ms Sommers over the dam at Saint Emile Island."

"A failsafe for what?" Steve asked with great interest.

"A failsafe design to continue Dr. Franklin's work in case he was ever captured." Rawlins replied. "I'm sorry I never volunteered this information before, but I didn't think it was necessary considering that the Katie fembot was destroyed."

"Well you'd better get used to volunteering every bit of information possible, no matter how insignificant you may think it is," Steve said. "I have a feeling that this second crisis is far from over."

Steve continued. "According to Goldman, Wells and Sommers' report, this robot of Carl Franklin wasn't just a mindless programed automaton; this robot was independent. It had emotions and it had a vengeance." 

"Colonel Austin," the pilot chimed in from the front cockpit, "we're getting ready to land."

"Vengeance" Rawlins thought as he walked alongside Steve Austin through the wreckage of Carl Franklin's base of operation. Rawlins was both fascinated and fearful that the late Dr Franklin could perfect a robot with all these character traits. Why didn't he create the Katie fembot with the same traits? Perhaps Dr Franklin's sexist attitude towards woman had something to do with it. Rawlins clearly remembered Franklin smugly saying to Baron Constantine "Since when is a woman that thinks for herself a valuable asset?".

"Colonel Austin," Major Remmy yelled out from the distance. "We've found something." Major Remmy was a tall, forty year old, a hard nosed, intimidating presence to most people under his command.

Immediately Steve and Rawlins rushed over to where the Major and four other soldiers were gathered. Steve looked down and saw what appeared to be a right arm and leg exposed under a large chunks of debris.

"Get a crane over here ASAP! " Remmy ordered on his walkie talkie.

"That won't be necessary" Steve interjected as he signaled four of the troops to give him assistance. The smaller piece of debris was easily moved away with the help of four troops assisting Steve. However, Steve had to rely on the strength of his bionic arm to move the bigger piece of rubble.

Remmy cast a stern look of suspicion upon Steve because there was no way that even the combined strength of four men could have moved an object so heavy. "How the hell...?" Remmy said, demanding an explanation.

"Basic use of leverage Major," Steve replied with a smile.

They all looked down upon a male model robot with no face mask. A closer examination with Steve's bionic eye clearly shows some singed circuits coming from the exposed spots on both the facial and chest area.

The robot laid lifeless. It was wearing a scuffled white lab coat dressed like a doctor or... "a scientist" Steve thought. "Major Remmy" Steve said. "Contact Oscar Goldman. Inform him that we have a positive ID on Carl Franklin ! " 


	3. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2  
Las Vegas - Nevada**

It was the usual hot and arid night in Las Vegas. Oscar Goldman, Rudy Wells, Peggy Callahan and Jaime Sommers were surprisingly in good spirits considering the recent ordeal they had just been through with the second fembot crisis and their narrow escape from the Kyler Energy Ray Weapon that destroyed Carl Franklin's base.

The group was relaxing and lounging around in one of the smaller bar areas within Rod Kyler's casino as Oscar was filling their glasses with the most expensive house champagne, courtesy of Rod Kyler.

"So what's going to happen to the Energy Ray Weapon?" Callahan asked.

"We're going to leave it up there as space garbage. It can't do anymore harm now." Oscar told her in a confident manner.

"Yeah" Jaime interjected in a sarcastic tone. "That's what you said about the fembots."

"Well we're pretty certain this time Jaime," Oscar proclaimed. "We're sure ... or we think we're sure that they've all been destroyed." Oscar didn't want to give the final confirmation until he has heard the final post crisis investigation report from either Steve Austin or Major Remmy.

"You think?" Callahan said as she felt her anxiety begin to rise.

Callahan being a two time victim did not want to hear any semi confirmations. The mere thought of any possibilities of one of Dr Franklin's creations surviving and being at large sent chills up her spine. She lived in fear of the possibility of one day being abducted again or worse, murdered by one of those robotic zombies.

"Oscar, how sure is pretty sure?"

Oscar, wishing to find any way out this conversation, finally felt defeated. "Well it's a ..." Oscar began, about to go into detail about Steve Austin's post crisis investigation.

Jaime noticed the uncharacteristic awkwardness in Oscar's manner. She decided that it was time to break the ice and bail him out with some more of her sarcastic witty humor in hopes to set Callahan's mind at ease. "Usually that means.." Jaime explained, "something like a positive maybe but an absolutely certain... 'I hope so'."

Even Jaime found herself at a lost for words as Oscar laughed it off and offered a toast. "I hope so" Oscar said as he raised his glass.

Jaime, Callahan and Rudy Wells return the toast with the same words of "I hope so".

"Mister Goldman" The bartender said as he approached the group. "You have a call on line three".

"Never a moment of rest" Oscar complained (or rather put up a front as if he was complaining) as he prepared to leave. "Now if you'll excuse me."

As Oscar left, Jaime's suspicions began to rise. Why is Oscar taking the call in private? Even Rudy had a look on his face that was all too familiar. Something doesn't feel right, Jaime thought .

Oscar proceeded to the office of Neil Sager, Rod Kyler's chief of security. Although he dismissed this call as a nuisance to his friends and employees back at the bar, he was in fact anxiously awaiting it. He hoped it was the news that would forever put to rest the legacy of Doctor Jonathan Franklin.

"Thank you Neil," Oscar said as he entered the security chief's office.

"Oscar," Steve Austin's voice broke over the phone. "Better have a lab set up for Rudy and pronto."

"What is it Steve?" Oscar asked as he prepared himself for the worse.

"Well besides finding many items from the FCU, we've also recovered Carl Franklin." replied Steve.

"Status?" Oscar asked hoping for the best.

"Badly damaged," Steve explained. "However Toby Rawlins examined the remains and can not confirm if this Carl robot is beyond the capability to reactivate it self . Based on Rawlins' expertise on Franklin's work, I recommend we secure it someplace safe so he and Rudy and could better examine it."

"I suppose it would be too risky to transport Carl to Rudy's lab in Washington?" Oscar inquired.

Steve's reply had more concern in his tone than Oscar anticipated. "You and I have both seen these things in action. We can't take the slightest risk of this robot coming back to life during transport to Washington."

"Okay Pal," Oscar said reassuringly. "We'll set a lab at our OSI facility just outside of Indian Springs. I'm sure I don't have to tell you to post several armed guards around Carl."

"Will do Oscar," Steve answered. "But we're not sure if bullets can stop this thing if it comes back to life, if the worse case scenario were to happen."

Before Steve could hang up the phone, he felt the need to ask. "How's Jaime?"

"A bit a shaken at first, from the latest crisis," Oscar told him. "but she came through. She's a remarkable woman Steve."

The news was reassuring to Steve and he couldn't begin to imagine the horror that Jaime felt while having to face again another legion of Dr Franklin's deadly creations. The first crisis a year earlier was horrifying enough. Jaime was nearly killed and left for dead while fighting two fembots in Callahan's apartment.

Although Jaime denied it on several occasions, Steve somehow knew that Jaime hadn't fully recovered the psychological trauma of the ordeal. Those fembots were like powerful deadly walking corpses with no souls, like something out of a horror movie. Even Steve felt his skin crawl when he later encountered the same robots at Franklin's base. Steve was somewhat more prepared for Dr Jonathan Franklin's soulless creations than Jaime was, due to the fact that he once fought two similar but more primitive versions of robots that were designed and created by Dr Jeffery Dolenz. This was years before the first fembot crisis. However, he still found Franklin's robots to be more terrifying on a psychological level than anything that Dolenz ever unleashed on him..

It made Steve feel worse that he wasn't around during the second fembot crisis because of being away on his previous recent mission on the moon and defeating the plans of Doctor Charles Lieth .

"How about you pal, how are holding up?" Oscar asked as his concerne was now focused on his friend's well being.

"A bit fatigued ..." Steve said, "but I won't rest until we know for certain that this crisis is over."

"Steve, perhaps I should send Jaime over to assist you," Oscar suggested. "You've barely slept these past two days. How much more of this can you take?"

"As much as it takes Oscar. I just feel the need to finish this job, and I don't want Jaime to be burdened. She's been through enough."

"You're being too over protective," Oscar commented. "Steve, Jaime is one of my top agents and I love her too. I wouldn't risk sending her on this mission if I didn't think she could handle it."

Deep down Steve knew that Oscar was right. He knew that Oscar loved Jaime like uncle loves a favorite niece and is just as protective of Jaime's well being.

Perhaps he was that hadn't totally recovered from the ordeal from the first fembot crisis. "Just give me another twenty four hours to wrap up this case?" Steve asked.

"Okay pal, be careful!" Oscar cautioned. "Rudy will meet you at the Indian Springs facility." 


	4. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3  
Nevada - Ground Zero**

Steve hung up the mobile phone device and handed it back to Major Remmy. The phone was bigger than a brick with an estimated a cost of ten dollars per minute being billed to government for that kind of wireless phone service. Never the less, Steve could still appreciate the convenience they provide.

The area surrounding the remains of Carl Franklin's base was now swallowed by the darkness of night as the military packed up their camp. It took five soldiers to load the immobilized Franklin robot into a tractor trailer along with the several remains of the FCU.

The immobilized robot looked as lifeless as any human corpse would look. It was laid on a stretcher with several restraint straps wrap around the arms and body. Its most obvious robotic feature was the missing face plate.

The quarter ton weight of the robot was astonishing to the officers, though Steve Austin and Toby Rawlins were well aware that even the brilliant Dr Franklin had to use internal steel gadgets and alloy gears to operate these robots. It was one of the many flaws in Franklin's design for others to detect his robots. However it is also an advantage which makes them almost indestructible.

The power module which is located at the base of the skull in most of Dr Franklin's creations was nowhere to be found on Carl. Yet the robot of Carl Franklin was not an ordinary creation of the late Jonathan Franklin. It once claimed to Oscar Goldman, Rudy Wells and Jaime Summers that it possessed the soul that was given to him by his father moments before this base was destroyed by the Energy Ray Weapon. The salvaging operation is vital in case someone in the near future were to attempt continue Dr Franklin's legacy. Dr Rudy Wells and a top team of OSI scientists would have their work cut out for them while studying Franklin's technology.

"Those restraints won't do any good," Rawlins commented as he was getting ready to board the tractor trailer.

"I do not need some convicted scientist to tell me how to do my job!" Remmy barked.

"Easy, Major," Steve said, defending Rawlins. "Post five armed guards to keep a close watch on the robot! By orders of Oscar Goldman."

"This ridiculous looking mannequin is in no position to pose a threat," Remmy told Steve.

"Believe me Major, I've seen these things in action. Keep your men on full alert!" Steve ordered.

Moments later the military tractor trailer was driving north on Route 15 escorted by a military jeep. The inside was like a mini facility, Steve thought as he was familiarizing himself with his surroundings. An entire third of the rear trailer was a cargo bay. As Steve and Rawlins made their way forward through the cargo bay to the mid section of the trailer, they came upon a small corridor to the right. When the entered the narrow hallway, Steve was delighted to find that there were several sleeping quarters within all the doorways to the left.

"It's tempting," Steve thought.

It was almost as if Rawlins was reading Steve's mind. "Colonel Austin, perhaps you should try to get some sleep," Rawlins suggested. "It's a four hour trip to Indian Springs."

Steve's exhaustion was more than obvious but he was debating to himself on how appropriate it would be for him to catnap with the slight potential of the Carl Franklin robot coming to life.

"It's okay," Rawlins continued. "I'll monitor the robot's status. However, it's highly unlikely that the robot will reactivate. For all we know the damage could be severe enough to be permanent . I just can't confirm that without a proper facility and the equipment to do a thorough examination.."

"But you did theorize that there's a slight chance that this thing can come back to life," Steve reminded him.

"Based on my knowledge of the Katy fembot," Rawlins assured him, "the chances are still slim to none."

Steve and Rawlins made their way to end of the hallway and into the infirmary station which was located in the front section of the trailer. There were five armed soldiers standing at their post. In the center of the room laid the lifeless form of the Carl Franklin robot still unmasked, this time strapped onto the medical table. Neither of the posted armed soldiers would take their eyes off of what they thought was a miracle of robotic science. 

"You and I both know that these boys may not have much of a chance in stopping this thing," Steve whispered to Rawlins. 

"If something does happen, how do you expect to stop Carl while you're fighting your own fatigue?" Rawlins replied, knowing that he'd just gotten the final word in this debate.

"I'll be in the next room," Steve answered. "Radio me if anything happens!" He took one last gaze of the robotic corps ... or was it a corpse? For a moment he didn't know if he was having a hallucination from the lack of sleep or perhaps he was just losing his mind but the faceless robotic corpse of Carl Franklin seemed to be staring at him. Wherever Steve would walk, the stare from the robot would follow him. It was such a cold stare from such an emotionless face... or rather no face. The faceless robot had a set of eyes ... emotionless eyes like that of a doll surrounded by robotic circuits where the rest of a human face with human features should be.

Steve began to break out in a cold sweat of terror. For the first time he felt the artificial skin on his bionic limbs began to crawl. It was a sensation of horror that Steve had never felt before.

"Are you alright Colonel Austin?" A concerned Rawlins asked.

"I'll be in my quarters," Steve replied in weak voice. He took the sleeping quarters closest to the infirmary and then less than a minute later, he fell right into bed only having time and the strength to remove his jacket before sleep consumed him.

Visions in his mind faded from black to gray as the faint but terrorizing familiar sound of electronic circuits and transistor hums echoed in the background. It was the sound that Steve could only identify from his memories of the faceless Callahan fembot he'd fought at Dr Jonathan Franklin's complex a year prior. It was the same sound that the faceless Oscar robot made before he'd defeated it by pulling out the power module from the base of its skull.

Then came the sound of heavy winds - the same sound of the hurricane winds that Dr Jonathan Franklin unleashed on Steve and Jaime on Saint Emile Island. Although the sounds of wind grew louder, Steve did not feel a breeze. Thick gray fog was everywhere as far as he could see. The ground that Steve was standing on was indistinct as was the eventual fear that started to consume him, but he did not know why he was feeling these sensations.

The faint sound of the fembot transistor hum was now increasing in volume. The sound was getting louder when finally two objects in female form came out from the hazy mist from both his left and right side. The females were dressed in an all-too-familiar black one-piece jumpsuit. Before Steve could react he was subdued by the two fembots. He could not move. His entire body felt paralyzed. All he could do was look forward as the two fembots held him in place.

From the distance Steve could see a silhouette figure approaching. As the figure came nearer, he could see it was a slender young women with long flowing auburn hair. Steve tried, but was still unable to break free from the fembots' hold.  
As Steve gazed at the woman, he saw a certain familiarity about her. He felt that he has seen her before but couldn't remember where or when. She had an emotionless stone cold stare like a fembot...or was it?

From the corner of her eyes tears of blood ran down her face.

The terrorizing sound of the fembots' electronic circuits and transistor hums echoed louder and louder until Steve woke up in a cold sweat. He took about a minute to catch his breath as the fear within him had finally worn off. He laid back down and was fast asleep.

Once again the sounds began, very faintly, but this time from somewhere other than Steve's subconscious. This time the sound was originating from the faceless robotic corpse of Dr Carl Franklin who had just regained conscious.  
- - - - - -


	5. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

**Las Vegas - Nevada**

Using her bionic hearing to eavesdrop in on other people's personal conversations went against her morals, especially when the two people she is listening to are the ones responsible for rebuilding her with her those abilities. Only on covert missions or surveillance against criminals would Jaime take advantage of her bionic hearing. However due to recent events she forced herself to take these measures.

She trusted Oscar Goldman and Rudy Wells and loved them like family but she was never naive to the fact that they along with Steve could be over protective at times, especially during times like the recent crisis.

Her suspicions were first aroused due to how evasive Oscar and Rudy had been since defeating Carl Franklin. Although the recent battles during the second fembot crisis were somewhat easier when compared to the first devastating attacks by the senior Dr Franklin, Jaime has a hard time believing that Oscar would close the case on the entire fembot matter so abruptly afterwards. It wasn't like Oscar to just to assume that all the fembots were destroyed after two separate crises within a fourteen month time span.

Also, why hadn't she been able to get in contact with Steve? It'd been almost two days since he returned from the Lunar Moon Mission and although she and Steve hadn't seen much of one another since the first fembot crisis, surely he would have contacted her about the recent one, if only to see how she was doing.

Usually after prolonged and stressful missions, Steve would retreat back to his home in Ojai for rest and relaxation, so Jaime had made a social call to Helen Elgin a few hours earlier. During her twenty minute phone conversation with Steve's mother she asked about Steve hoping that Helen would mention something that would indicate that he'd be visiting or the very least had called her. Helen told her that Steve must be currently knee deep in work because she hasn't heard from her son in weeks.

She followed up on her personal investigation by contacting many officials at the OSI. One of the officials confirmed that Steve had returned from his recent mission and immediately set out on another mission. Unfortunately, not even Jaime's Level Six clearance could grant her access to any information pertaining to Steve's current mission.

Something was definitely up and it was time for her to confront Oscar Goldman on the matter. She nearly knocked Rudy Wells over by accident when she anxiously entered the office of Neil Sager where Oscar and Rudy were conversing. She noticed that Rudy was carrying packed lab equipment and Oscar had his file folder open which was clearly marked "FRANKLIN".

"What's going on?" Jaime asked in a worried tone. "And where's Steve?"

"He returned from a recent mission three days ago," Oscar said while changing into a more comforting manner as he put his hand on her shoulder. "And then immediately volunteered on the recent post crisis investigation. He's in Nevada right now."

"Post crisis?" she asked with even more concern in her voice.

"We weren't too sure that every fembot and all related equipments were destroyed," Rudy explained.

"Steve and a salvaging crew recovered Carl Franklin and are en route to our OSI facility in Indian Springs for Rudy to examine," Oscar elaborated. "I understand you feel Rudy and I are being overprotective at times, but right now, that isn't the case. I was more concerned about easing Callahan's worries when I said what I said back at the bar."

Jaime did understand where Oscar was coming from. After all, Callahan had also been victimized twice and was far less equipped to defend herself against those menacing fembots than either Jaime or Steve.

"Carl Franklin?" Jaime asked. "But I watched him... or it fall 50 stories. I saw it spark and smoke upon impact. Surely it must be dead!"

"As dead as we thought the Callahan fembot was when we stored her in the OSI vault after the first crisis?" Oscar replied with doubt.

"And didn't you and Steve witness the same results when you saw Callahan fembot got struck down by lightning on the damn on St Emil Island?" Rudy asked.

"Well Steve and I were too busy dodging lightning bolts, running from the other fembot and trying to reach Franklin's complex to rescue Oscar and Callahan. We didn't exactly have the time or the luxury to stop and perform a fembot autopsy," Jaime replied with her usual sarcastic wit.

"Well, I did." Rudy confirmed. "Right after the salvaging operation on Franklin's base on Saint Emil last year. There was quite a lot of singed circuitry due to electric overload from the lightning but I've done nothing to repair any of the internal damage. All I did was repair and restore the exterior damage before Oscar had her...or it locked into the evidence vault."

"And after one year, Carl Franklin was still able to reactivate the fembot." Oscar said.

"But we're still left with an entirely different mystery," Rudy pondered. "I removed the power module from the fembot which was located at the base of its skull. Someone reinstalled it without my knowledge."

They exited Sager's vacant office and made their way out toward the main casino area as Oscar continued the discussion. "There's a chopper on the roof and one of Kyler's personal pilots waiting to take Rudy to Indian Springs."

"I'm coming with you, Rudy" Jaime told him.

"Babe, we're pressed for time. And what about Callahan, back at the bar ?" Oscar said in hopes of talking Jaime out of tagging along with Rudy.

As the group looked towards the bar area they saw Callahan was quite occupied laughing and enjoying herself as she mingled with a dark haired handsome man who was buying her a drink.

"Okay," Oscar sighed. "Be ready at the chopper pad in five minutes."

Jaime was already at the door leading to the private stairway. At bionic speed she ran up the stairs like she'd done when she was spying on the fembot of Tammy Cross five days earlier. She made it to her hotel suite within two minutes flat and changed into a casual blue jumpsuit in another minute and a half. She left her room and walked quickly through the public hallway, then proceeded towards the roof at bionic speed once she'd entered the private stairwell again.

Rudy and the chopper pilot were just boarding the helicopter when Jaime appeared to come out of nowhere on the roof.

"Where did she come from?" The startled pilot asked as she boarded the chopper.

"It's okay," Rudy replied to set the pilot's mind as ease. "She's an additional agent assigned to escort me."

The Helicopter lifted off and started heading north toward Indian Springs. Back at the Casino Bar area, Oscar briefly interrupted Callahan's conversation with her new found male companion to grant her a week-long paid vacation, then proceeded back towards Sager's office. Along the way he stopped to request that Agent Marcus Grayson watch Callahan's back for the duration of her time in Vegas and then escort her back to Washington.

When Oscar returned to Sager's office he dialed out this time to the offices of the NSB. "Hanson, I think we may have another security breach within the OSI." 


	6. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

The estimated time of arrival was 20 minutes until the military tractor trailer reached the Indian Springs facility. Steve Austin still continued to sleep peacefully.

While inside the infirmary station, located in the front section of the military tractor trailer, the fully conscious robot of Carl Franklin remained motionless. It just laid there still in restraints trying to get familiar with it's surroundings. It didn't take long for it to realize that it was a captured prisoner under military control. "A futile gesture," It thought. "These restraints won't be able to hold me."

It continued to scan the room and noticed the armed guards. The robot did not consider them to be a threat either. Then a familiar voice broke over the superior officer's radio and the robot honed in to listen.

"Remmy here," the senior officer responded.

"This is Oscar Goldman. I need an ETA report."

"We're about fifteen minutes from Indian Springs," Remmy replied.

"I want Colonel Austin in charge of overseeing the transport of the robot to Doctor Wells' lab once inside the facility." Oscar ordered. "Dr Wells and Jaime Sommers' ETA is thirty-five minutes. Seal the facility upon their arrival."

"Roger that. Remmy out." Remmy took another stare at the damaged looking deactivated prisoner which he still dismissed as a mere scientific artifact. "What the hell is so vital and so potentially dangerous about that hunk of junk?"

"An OSI facility is perfect." The robot thought. It couldn't hope for a better place to be brought to for its next plan to immortality. All it needs is a few minutes access to an ARPA drive computer terminal.

What's even better is Colonel Steve Austin is among them and Sommers and Wells will soon be joining them. During the recent days when Carl possessed and controlled the Directive Energy Ray Weapon and Goldman, Wells and Sommers were his prisoners, his intentions were to do a second demonstration of the weapon by destroying Colonel Austin's shuttle en route back to Earth from its recent mission. However, this could be just as good. If he could destroy the facility taking out Austin, Sommers and Wells along with it, it would surely cripple Oscar Goldman both on a defense level and an emotional level. With his top bionic operatives and chief scientist dead, Goldman's eventual defeat will be simple once the facility is destroyed.

The robot did a last visual scan and spotted another familiar face, Toby Rawlins, his father's colleague. If the circumstances had been different, Carl would actually have been satisfied to be in Rawlins presence. However, knowing that its a prisoner by the military under Oscar Goldman's orders, it is clear to Carl that Rawlins is now working for his enemy. He too must be destroyed. That traitor knows too much and can be a potential threat to his future plans.

As Carl scanned more closely at Rawlins at his work station it recognized an all too familiar device that he was tinkering with. It was a microwave emitter gun. A similar but a more effective device than Dr Wells used against his father's robot duplicate of Oscar Goldman while in combat against Steve Austin a year earlier. In normal circumstances. Carl knew the emitter gun couldn't stop him but the robot could not take chances on the Rawlins using that thing on him and interfering with his plans, especially under its damaged state.

"ETA , ten minutes," the voice of the driver radioed in to inform Remmy.

"Roger that,m" Remmy replied as he moved towards Carl to take one last close look at the robot. "Let's move this piece of junk to back of the compound and prepare for..."

With one swift stroke, Carl's right arm broke free from the metal restraint and grabbed Remmy's neck. The robot's grip tightened like a vise, crushing Remmy's throat. The alerted surrounding troops drew their firearms but didn't fire a shot until it was too late for Remmy.

The robot dropped the lifeless body of Remmy as it broke free from the rest of its restraints. The troops fired upon the robot but the bullets bounced harmlessly bounced off of Carl as he made his way towards Rawlins.

Some of the troops gave up trying to stop the robot with their weapons and tried to fight Carl hand to hand. The effort was proven futile when the robot knocked the first troop unconscious with one swift punch and tossed the other troop across the room into four armed guards, knocking them all to the floor.

Rawlins took advantage of the distraction to activate the microwave emitter but that effort seem to have no effect on the advancing robot. Carl took hold of Rawlins' throat as he stared back into the unmasked robot's eyes.

"You disappoint me Rawlins," Carl said as he was taunting his father's former associate. "But it's not too late. You can still join me."

"Go to hell, you freak !" Rawlins spat.

At the same time, distant shouting from the troops and continued gunfire awoke Steve from his deep slumber. He knows his worse fear has been confirmed. He must now confront another deadly creation of Dr. Franklin. With bionic speed, Steve springs into action, running toward the infirmary to engage the robot. 


	7. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

The robot released its grip on Rawlin's throat to tempt him one last time.

"You can turn this betrayal into redemption by joining me," The robot offered in a sign of truce.

Rawlins did not reply. His fear and self anger for his past actions was fuel enough for one more charge. He lunged toward Carl, but the deathbot caught him and used the momentum of Rawlins' own efforts to send him crashing headfirst into the supply shelves. Bottles and electronic equipment rained down on him, and for added insurance, Carl pushed the shelf down on Rawlins as well, pinning his adversary to the floor.

"That was as futile as your betrayal of my father, Rawlins," he gloated. "My father would be so disappointed -" The robot stopped in mid sentence; the flying kick to the back of his head could only mean one thing. "Colonel Austin," he sneered as the robot fell to the ground.

"Give it up, Carl," Steve insisted. "You can't escape."

The robot sighed, as it was getting back up on it's feet giving a gesture of surrender. The skeptical bionic operative kept his guard up as it approached the robot but at the last second Carl swung it's one leg out to catch Steve in the small of his back. Steve stumbled but didn't fall, and countered with a full-force swing that the slightly-faster robot ducked easily.  
If Carl had a face it would grin.

"If that's the best you've got..." it swung high and slow with one robotic arm, allowing Steve to dodge it before pounding his other robotic arm solidly into the side of Steve's head, "then I've already won."

The force of the blow nearly rendered him unconscious, and while Steve struggled to regain equilibrium, he could only watch in horror as Carl tore a support pole from the inner frame on the side wall of the tractor trailer and threw it spear-style, through the front of the trailer. It cut effortlessly into the truck cab, penetrating first the back of the driver's seat and then the driver himself.

The entire vehicle lurched violently as the badly-injured driver made a last-ditch attempt to slam on the brakes. The front end of the pole/spear had jammed into the steering wheel, causing the truck to swerve dangerously, then jack-knife and topple, one section at a time like a row of dominoes.

Both the tractor trailer and one of the two escort jeeps were overturned with most of the injured military personel unconscious. However the first escort jeep with the driver and the medic were least effected by the collisions. The two military officers prepared to tend to the injured.

Inside the overturned tractor trailer, Steve regained consciousness after the crash and saw that Carl was in the process of punching his way out through the steal wall of the tractor trailer. After four devastating punches, the robot successfully made a hole big enough for it to climb out.

As Steve went to pursue the robot the image of the injured officers and Rawlins pinned under the wreckage had caught his eye. With his bionic strength and speed he carried the eleven surviving officers out one by one to safety. When he finally got to Rawlins, he couldn't hide the look on his face that Rawlins injuries were severe.

"I know that look on your face and I can't feel my body" Rawlins said in a weak faint tone.

"You'll be ok," Steve told him, hoping he sounded more positive than he felt.

Steve removed the steal shelf that was pinning Rawlins down and then carried him out of the trailer and placed him on the stretcher.

The outside area looked like a war zone, with smoke rising high into the air and wreckage and debris scattered among the bodies of the injured...and the dead.

Rawlins motioned to Steve.

" This robot ... is .. nothing like anything .. Doctor Franklin has designed before." Rawlins said with his voice even frailer than before.  
"D-d-don't .. underestimate it's potential." He continued.  
"You must destroy it...Carl... at ... any cosss... " Rawlins gasped, his voice fading as his eyes slowly closed.  
Steve realized that while there was nothing he could really do for Rawlins or the others (they were best left to the medics and to Rudy Wells who he knew was well on his way), someone HAD to stop the deathbot. By focusing far into the far dark distance with his bionic eye, Steve could see that Carl already had a huge head start. With one more regret-filled glance at Rawlins and the army of injured souls surrounding the wreck, Steve paced off from the wreckage at first and then took off at full speed across the dark desert, in pursuit of his worst nightmare.  
Carl had the double advantage of extra power and a head start, but Steve had determination and sheer force of will. This was not simply a battle of man versus machine; after everything Franklin's creations had put Steve and his friends through, this had become personal.

- - - - - -

As the helicopter neared Indian Springs, Jaime tried to convince herself that she wasn't scared to death. Franklin's robots had very nearly killed her on several occasions, from her first encounter a year prior in Peggy Callahan's apartment to the recent crisis five days ago. They'd been nearly invincible then – stronger than bionics – and from what she'd experienced, Carl was even more powerful. He'd been subdued for the moment, but would he stay that way? Could she and Steve, fighting together, de-activate him, if necessary? There was suddenly no more time to dwell on it, when Jaime looked out the chopper window and spotted the over-turned, smoking wreck.  
"My God. " Rudy gasped as he looked upon the disastrous wreak " They didn't make it."

As the chopper started to make it's landing to assist the rescue effort, Jaime felt a sudden overwhelming emotion of fear as the adrenaline within her started to rise. She knows the recent crisis is far from over.

--------------------  
Steve had covered almost half of the distance to the Indian Springs facility when his datacom crackled to life. "Steve?"  
He pressed the talk button without slowing his pace, talking as he continued to run. "Rudy?"  
"Steve, where the hell are you?" the doctor asked, shouting to be heard above the maelstrom of noise surrounding the wreckage.  
"Carl's loose, and he's headed for the complex. I have to stop him – I don't think the guards can!" Steve was close enough now to hear multiple screams and gunshots coming from outside the OSI complex, and he knew he was right.  
"You can't fight him alone," Rudy insisted. "I brought someone along who can help you."  
The next voice over the datacom was one that would normally make Steve's heart sing, but now (knowing she was here) he felt weighted down with despair. "Steve? I'm coming," Jaime called. "Don't go in there alone – please!"  
"Rudy, keep her with you," Steve pleaded. "You can use the extra help. She doesn't need to see this!" As impossible as his looming battle with the deathbot seemed, he wasn't sure if Jaime was over the trauma of her first run-in with Franklin's technology let alone the recent one in Las Vegas. As if to emphasize his point, Steve hit the 'off' button firmly and shoved the datacom back onto his belt.  
Suddenly, he was back in a war zone...different battleground, same war. More than a dozen guards and Army personnel lay scattered just outside the entrance to Indian Springs like a troop of broken and discarded toy soldiers. As he ran toward the main doors, a guard motioned to him from his prone position in the sand.  
"Whatever that...thing is...our bullets bounced right off..." he whispered, just before his eyes closed.  
Steve flipped the datacom on again for one more transmission. "Rudy, we've got multiple casualties at the facility – they need medics as soon as you can send them!"  
Rudy, already trying to cope with the masses of wounded at the wreck, could only respond with an 'ok' to Steve's request and a silent prayer for the medical assistance units that were headed toward them to hurry.  
Jaime, too, heard Steve's transmission and at the same time Steve was tearing open the now-locked main doors of the complex, she took off across the dark desert, hoping she could get there in time to assist Steve.

As Steve took a few steps into the main corridor of the facility, he heard sounds of more screams and gun fire echoing from within the distance. He felt both physically injured and more fatigued than ever and the fear that he felt hours earlier has crept within him again as well.

At full bionic speed, Steve ran further into the corridor to continue his pursuit of the deadly robot.


	8. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

Carl's sensors alerted him to Steve's arrival and the deathbot growled in frustration. It was too soon – he was almost there.

While he was sure no mere converted human cyborg creation of Dr. Rudy Wells would be capable of stopping him, it was an inconvenience! Steve Austin was just another fly to be swatted, and if he didn't back off, Carl intended to crush him.

The robot was getting no help – not even forced cooperation – from Indian Springs' staff or its Army/Air Force guard units. At least the military convoy was no longer in a position to join them in trying to thwart his efforts... not that they ever can.

Carl had no more time for fruitless inquiries. One of these over-patriotic fools was going to point him to the ARP computer terminal – now. He grabbed the next hapless soul in his path by the throat, raising him into the air.

"The main control room," the robot snarled, "where is it?"

"Go to hell!" the terrorized officer managed to choke out as it looked into the lifeless eyes of the menacing faceless deathbot.

Carl thrust the helpless man higher, until his head broke through the fluorescent light fixtures above them. The robot continued down the hall, while his electrocuting victim twitched several times then was still, his legs and feet dangling limply like the lower half of a grim marionette.

The lights began to flash on and off as disaster alarms sounded throughout the building. Far too bright in here, Carl thought, pulling the next available human into his grasp and pushing him, battering-ram style, into the near-by fusebox. The hallway went dark and Carl continued his search.

As Steve Austin wandered deeper into the bowels of the now darkened complex a closed steel door blocked his access leading to the lower level. Steve forced the main door open with one solid kick.

When he entered the lower level of the complex he once again felt the creeping sensation he felt earlier that made even the skin on his bionic limbs crawl. The building, its contents and its people had been devastated by the rampaging robot, and they were still under attack.

The main hallway was menacingly dark like the first level, with dangling wires, broken fixtures except this time he saw blood stains along the walls and pooled on the floors. Steve could hear the distant moans and fading cries of the injured and dying mingled with screams that echoed from deep within the building as Carl continued his single-minded quest.

A hand reached up toward Steve in a silent, anguished plea for help. He paused to lift an over-turned file cabinet, freeing the man trapped beneath it.

"Thank you...couldn't breathe..." the man gasped. He was lying just inside the entrance, where he was sure to be trampled by any teams of rescuers that might not see him there. Steve gave him a hand, helping the injured officer on his feet.

"There's a rescue party on its way," Steve assured to the injured officer. "Can you make it out of here on your own?"

"I think so... " The officer answered. "But what about that thing that's attacking the complex?"

"Let me worry about it." Steve told him. "Just get yourself and anyone else you find outside to safety!"

The injured officer nodded as it turned and started limping towards the nearest passage way that would eventually lead to an exit.

Steve reached the end of the first corridor on the second level. When he turned the corner he entered another room that was devastated by the deathbot's rampage. He could hear several separate, agonized voices beneath a large pile of rubble, so he pulled aside the broken chairs, overturned table and pieces of shelving to free four victims who had been trapped underneath. Two of them ran for the exit unassisted, and Steve carried the other two, one at a time, outside of the smoldering room.

The distant sounds of glass breaking, wood splintering and bodies slamming against walls and the floor kept him well aware that he needed to stop Carl – and he needed to do it now – but there were so many people who needed help.

"Hey – over here!" a whispered voice called to him.

Steve didn't see anyone at first, until a hesitant figure stepped slowly out of the shadow behind an overturned desk.

He was a middle aged senior grade Lieutenant who was accompanied by two others – a young male and a female junior officer – and they appeared unharmed.

"It's Colonel Steve Austin," the young female lieutenant said in both a tone of recognition and a sigh of relief.

"We should've tried to stop him like everyone else did, but...well, he ... or it didn't find us," he explained, very quietly.

"Are you injured?" Steve asked, his mind racing with what still lay ahead.

"No – we're ok but...I feel so ashamed for making the order to take cover and to hide."

Then the trembling female lieutenant went on to elaborate her senior officer's story.

"It was so inhuman that... that thing. Bullets or explosives wouldn't stop it and whoever that thing got a hold of, it... it would torture them for information. I watched it slit the general's throat."

Steve put a hand on the young female's shoulder in a comforting gesture.

"Now you three have to stop beating yourselves up over this," he instructed. "There was nothing you've could have done. What's important now is the casualties need your help to evacuate them to safety. In the meantime, I have to go after that robot."

"Whatever that thing is... it's looking for the ARP computer terminal, if that helps you at all."

"Steve's mind drifted briefly to figure out what Carl (a robotic walking computer it's self) would want with another computer but there was no time to ponder.

"Good. I need you to find anyone who's still alive and evacuate them – get them out of the complex," Steve instructed. "Help should be on the way soon. Once you have everyone out, stay with them; they'll need people who are still alert and know the layout, once reinforcements get here."

"You got it," the injured officer promised, leading the way for the other two junior grades to begin the evacuation.

Steve knew Indian Springs well enough to navigate the maze of hallways in the darkness, and he set off at bionic speed for the deathbot's ultimate destination, intent on stopping him before he could reach the main computer.

It seemed like the cries of the injured grew faint and less frequent as Steve made his way deeper into the bowels of the building. Steve wasn't worried about what Carl could potentially do to him (although he probably should've been); his only thought was that he had to stop this deadly robot before Jaime got there. Yes, he'd asked Rudy to keep her with him, but Steve knew Jaime very well, and her independence (part of what he loved most about her) could translate into a stubborn streak. Steve had no doubt that at that very moment, Jaime was at least halfway to Indian Springs.  
Jaime had already endured a double-dose of Dr. Franklin's warped idea of science, and Steve knew that the emotional trauma was still very fresh. Her psychic wounds remained raw and painful. He couldn't bear the thought of Jaime suffering through another vicious attack. His love for her was all-encompassing; he'd sooner fight the robot-monster to the death himself than allow Jaime to go through any further trauma.

If she was to be spared, though, Steve knew he had to hurry. He rounded the last corner and, with the computer room at the very end of the long hallway, his night vision picked up no sign of Carl. He'd made it there first!

Steve had almost reached the steel door which was the access to the main control room that he intended to guard at any cost, when he was struck quickly and with robotic strength by a lead pipe that came out of nowhere to connect with the left side of his face. Both of his eyes blurred as he staggered backward, into the wall. With quick robotic speed, Carl stepped out of a hidden doorway and advanced toward the stunned Steve and grabbed him by his throat.

Steve felt the robot's grip tightening like a vice as he blinked, trying to clear his vision, but only his right eye could see. The deathbot had knocked out his night vision and a good portion of his equilibrium, striking just the right spot to effectively disable the bionics in his eye. Thinking quickly, Steve swung with his left arm, knowing the deathbot would block it, then knocked himself out of Carl's grasp with a strong uppercut from the right. While Carl was off-balance, Steve gave a hard kick towards Carl's chest, knocking the robot halfway across the corridor. Steve wasted no time and took advantage of the situation and once again engaged the robot at full speed with a running jump kick. Carl was fast and almost immediately rose to his feet, enraged now as well as determined but not fast enough. Steve made full contact landing sideways and knocking the robot back on the ground.

Both got up at the same time as the robot lunged towards him with a deadly punch which Steve easily avoided by ducking. Carl's fist landed punching a hole through the steel wall causing another advantage for Steve as he slammed the robot through the wall into a steel beam. The robot however broke itself free with a back handed punch that landed square on his right temple.

The robot and the man stood facing each other for a split moment and then the immortal fight continued...

It was eerily quiet in the middle of the desert, and Jaime could hear her own heart pounding wildly in her chest. She'd never been to Indian Springs, but she'd seen it from the chopper and she was being guided by sheer instinct to find Steve. The screams had died down, but as Jaime got closer to the complex, she could hear a chorus of at least two dozen injured souls, quietly moaning in pain. As she approached the main gate. It was a triage unit without a hospital – or even a doctor.

"Oh my," She thought as she gazed upon the victims.

She was met at the front doors by two of the uninjured Lieutenants, carrying another wounded comrade to safety.

"You're evacuating the building?" she queried. "How many more are inside? Do you need help?"

"I think this is the last one," the woman answered.

Jaime looked across the lawn at the overwhelming number of the injured and dying; Steve didn't appear to be among them.

"Do you know Steve Austin?" Jaime asked quickly.

"Of course. And...Colonel Austin is inside. He went after that...thing. By himself!"

_Oh, God_...Jaime groaned inwardly, knowing that taking on Carl Franklin would be an uphill battle for the two of them together. Alone, Steve really didn't stand a chance.

First things first, she unclipped her datacom to reactivate it. "Rudy ?"

All she got was static at first.

"Rudy, we have mass casualties here."

Seconds later, to Jaime's relief, the good doctor finally responded.

"We've stabilized the remaining injured and they're now in process of being flown to the proper medical facilities."

"Please hurry Rudy," Jaime told him in an almost frantic tone.

"Hang on Jaime, we're on our way!" Rudy's voice responded followed by static.

Jaime then focused her conversation back to senior lieutenant.

"Which way were they headed?" she asked, before getting ready to enter the complex.

"The computer room – in the basement."

Jaime took off at bionic speed, somehow managing to dodge the debris and live wires that littered the hallways.

I guess they're not evacuating the dead, she noted, nearly tripping over several bodies in the darkness. Where was her instinct? It was suddenly silent. Jaime stood still and listened carefully, trying to find Steve's voice (or Carl's) amidst the chaos. No one was speaking, but when she heard what sounded like a body thudding repeatedly against a wall, she began to run faster than her legs had ever carried her before.

The robot had a hold of Steve and slammed his back to the wall several times before Steve was able to bend both his knees and kick the robot back on the ground.

The robot attempted to get up but Steve stood leaning in a hovering postition landing one side hammer punch after another to the robot's head with all his might and taking out all his fear with each devasting blow. The robot seemed to be on its last leg but somehow deflected Steve's final blow as it rose up again and connected another devastating punch to Steve's already battered temple.

Steve managed to land one final punch of his own before the robot once again had its grip around his throat lifting him up off his feet. The last thing he saw before losing concious was an almost a sinister smile from the faceless deathbot.

The basement was even darker than the main corridor, but when she rounded the last corner into the long hallway that led to the computer room, the lights suddenly clicked on with blinding brilliance.

Jaime couldn't see Carl, but her heart sank and tears formed in her eyes when she saw Steve. He was lying at the far end of the hall, in a bloodied, crumpled heap on the floor. He wasn't moving.

Please don't let him be...dead, she pleaded silently. God, he looks dead. Jaime fought back a torrent of tears as she knelt at Steve's side. His face was covered with bruises, and the side of his head was bleeding. It was impossible to tell exactly where he was injured. His left arm was bent beneath him at a strange angle, so Jaime touched her fingertips to his neck, searching for the carotid artery. She was finally able to breathe again – an exhaled sigh of relief – when she found his pulse. It was faint, very weak, but he was alive!

She knew it was probably unsafe to move him, but Jaime couldn't take on Carl alone, and she wasn't about to leave Steve lying there, vulnerable to another attack. She was just about to scoop him up to carry him out of the building through the underground exit she'd seen next to the stairway, when an evil, metallic-sounding voice came booming out of the intercom speakers on the wall.

"Hello, Miss Sommers."

Jaime felt sick when she recognized the familiar voice – it was _Carl Franklin_. "I've been expecting you."

Jaime's blood ran icy-cold with terror, but she was careful not to show it. Carl was a predator; if he sensed fear, he'd feed on it, growing even stronger.

"He's still alive because I chose not to kill him – yet," Carl said tauntingly. "One more blow would've done it. But this way, I can kill both of you together."

Jaime sprang to her feet and headed toward the room at the end of the hall, almost as angry as she was frightened.

The view from the doorway stopped her in her tracks. Carl (or the empty robotic shell that used to be Carl's body) hung limply from its multiple connections to the ARPA computer system. Rudy's worst fears had been realized: the deathbot's consciousness, programming and sense of pure evil had disappeared into the untouchable realm of cyberspace.

"As you can see, you're too late, Miss Sommers," Carl's voice told her. "I've already won. Oh, but you might wish to go back to your friend before anything else happens to him."

Jaime took one step into the hallway to check on Steve and the heavy security door slammed shut behind her, closing her off from the computer room and any chance of communicating with the rescue teams that were beginning to arrive.

She made it back to Steve's side at the same moment that another security door slid shut, blocking an escape up the stairs or through the emergency exit. Jaime ran to the end of the hall and began kicking at the door, but her full bionic strength failed to budge or even dent it.

"It's no use," Carl's voice taunted. "The Army's best tank couldn't take that door down, and there is no other way out. You're trapped. It's a shame Doctor Wells and your Mister Goldman couldn't join us, but killing the two of you will still rank as one of my grandest achievements."

Rudy stood outside the complex, helping those who still had a chance while he listened with rising horror to Carl's threats and verbal jabs as his voice boomed out of every loudspeaker. Carl appeared to be talking solely to Jaime. Where was Steve?

"I am now in control of this building and its entire defense system," Carl's voice declared. "And I have just placed the complex on full Red Alert."

Rudy's eyes grew wide with near-panic. He knew better than anyone what this meant; he'd designed the 'Red Alert' system as a last-ditch fail safe in case of an enemy takeover.

"Move everyone out of here," he called to the Commander-in-Charge. "Get as far away as you can, and do it NOW!"

Rudy, approached the three lieutenants to whispered his rescue plan. "I need a diversion..."

The good doctor then quickly located himself and moved closer to the outside door of the basement's emergency exit. The three uninjured lieutenants ran to an auxiliary computer terminal at the guard station, to try and over ride the alert and (hopefully) draw at least some of the deathbot's attention away from Steve and Jaime.

"The countdown starts now," Carl's voice continued. "In exactly five minutes, charges will detonate in every corner of this building, essentially vaporizing the entire complex. You now have four minutes and 45 seconds left to live."

Everything was eerily quiet. Jaime gave the door several more kicks with all her strength, to no avail. She returned to where Steve was still lying motionless, and slumped down against the wall next to him, physically exhausted and emotionally depleted.

"...Steve...?" she whispered. He didn't react, and Jaime forced her tears away and fought to think clearly in spite of her fear. It was up to her – by herself – to save both of them.

"You die in four minutes," the deathbot gloated but then it's attention quickly focused elsewhere. The cyber entity now found itself under attack by hackers attempting to overide the self destruct sequence.

Jaime's panic state started to dissolve when...a beacon of hope. So soft at first that Jaime wasn't sure she'd really heard it, but – yes! - Rudy's voice was coming from just outside the underground exit.

"Jaime?" he began in a steady voice, "I don't even know if you can hear me; I sure hope you can. I think I can get you out of there, but you need to listen carefully and do this exactly the way I tell you."

Jaime rose back to her feet, ready to follow his instructions but with no way to let him know she was even there at all.

"Ok, Honey," Rudy said, remaining as calm as possible, "there's a fail safe box in the wall, near the floor, about midway down the hall."

Jaime turned right and left and there it was, recessed and so well-hidden that she'd never have seen it otherwise. She couldn't even hook a fingernail into it, the gap between the wall and the cover of the box was so small.

Rudy kept talking, still praying she was able to hear him...and able to act on his instructions. "The front cover is sealed shut. You need an electrical charge to get it open. A live wire would do it."

Without stopping to think about it, Jaime rooted in Steve's pocket, found his penknife and cut a long slash in her lower right arm, from the underside of her wrist almost all the way to her elbow.

"You have three minutes left," Carl's voice intoned with an evil-sounding sneer. "Better say your goodbyes now."

_Not just yet, you monster_, Jaime thought, gritting her teeth as she pulled the longest possible wire loose from the circuitry in her arm and waited for Rudy's next instruction.

"Jaime?" the doctor continued, "take the end of the wire and insert it under the bottom rim of the door to the box – as close to center as you can get it. Then force as much wire inside the box as you can manage." He paused to give her time to complete the task, knowing that if she couldn't do it, he, too, had less than three minutes left.

Jaime grimaced, trying to ease the wire in with her left hand and barely able to slide it under the rim of the door. Finally, it slid in, and she pushed the wire as far as she could, her right arm directly against the bottom of the little door. She heard a faint clicking sound, and tensed as she waited for Rudy.

"Two minutes to destruction," Carl's voice taunted.

"Ok," Rudy went on, "the door should click and become loose enough to pry open. Remove the wire and pull the box open and you'll find a keypad. Punch in my keycode – 13351 – and when you hear another click, press confirmation code 84428. Then head for the exit door as fast as you can. It'll only be open for a few seconds. Good luck, Honey."

Jaime fumbled slightly, finding her right hand no longer had the coordination to press the right buttons, so she switched to her left and punched in Rudy's codes.

"Sixty seconds, Miss Sommers," the Cyner entity sneered.

_Shut up, Carl_! Jaime thought silently. She bent down and lifted Steve into her arms, almost losing her balance when her right arm wouldn't quite do what she wanted, and with Steve's body slung over her shoulder she ran for the exit. The heavy door had already slid open and was just beginning to close when she turned sideways to make it out, just in time. Rudy sighed with relief to see she had Steve with her. They both headed for the main gate and dove behind a large rock for cover as the complex exploded all around them.

When the destruction was complete, Jaime lifted her head to see Steve just beginning to stir and moan on the ground beside her, with Rudy – also safe, thank God – beginning to tend to his badly-injured patient.

They were out, they were safe, and Jaime was spent. With a slight smile for her heroic doctor, Jaime closed her eyes and cried silent tears of gratitude and relief.

- - - - - -


	9. Epilogue

**Epilogue**

It was almost three days later when Steve finally awoke, to his bruised face being licked by a German Shepard. He found himself in the all too familiar OSI facility in Washington DC under the care of Rudy Wells.

The German Shepard stood on its hind legs alongside Steve's hospital bed with it's front paws rested firmly by Steve's side, and continued to pant in an almost too-happy manner. Steve was somewhat baffled wondering what a dog was doing in the hospital. Never the less, he was enjoying the company. "Hey big fella," he said with a smile as he scratched the dog behind it's ears. "Who are you and how did you get in here?"

"I see you've finally met Max," a familiar and soothing voice said from across the room.

"Jaime?" he asked while trying to catch a glimpse. The German Shepard dropped down off Steve's bed to allow Jaime and Steve to have a moment.

"Welcome back sleepy head," she responded with a hug and a kiss. "How's the eye?"

"I see just fine out of it now," Steve replied as he was trying to make out who the other person was accompanying Jaime, a somewhat good-looking man with sandy brown hair and a mustache. Steve couldn't quite place where he'd seen him before...maybe at the OSI?

"And this.." Jaime continued. "Is Chris Williams; he's with the CIA."

"Colonel Austin," he said with star struck enthusiasm as he shook Steve's hand. "It's such an honor to finally meet you. Jaime has told me so much about you."

"Thank you. I'm flattered," Steve replied and then quickly changed the subject in fear of what he suspected the conversation about Chris might be leading to.

"So I see you've bought yourself a guard dog?"

"Actually I adopted Max," Jaime said while giving the dog an affectionate rub along its back.

"Or Maximillian," she continued in an eye rolling gesture, "as Oscar and Rudy so boastingly like to call him."

"You mean to tell me that Max is...?"

"Yes Max is bionic," Jaime told him. "He was the first prototype."

Rudy Wells enters joined them, with a stern glance at Jaime for bringing a dog to the facility. Rudy was very fond of Max, but he knew he'd catch heat from other staff members for allowing it.

"Hey Doc," Steve said to break the ice. "You of all people should know that stress kills."

"So does sheer ego and arrogance!" Rudy snapped back "You nearly got yourself killed."

Steve, not wanting to hear another lecture, once again changed the subject.

"So what is our status?" he asked in reference to latest crisis.

"Three people died at the crash site and eight people were killed by the robot at the complex," Rudy informed him.

"Rawlins?" Steve asked.

"He's recovering. However, the robot shattered his spine during the attack. He'll never be able to walk again."

Steve found himself feeling bad for this one-time criminal who'd allied himself with the senior Dr. Franklin

"Rudy, I recommend a full pardon for him and all charges dropped."

"Oscar has already been considering that."

"This is outrageous! She's just a child." The female African American school mistress angrily whispered in Oscar Goldman's ear.

"Is she now?" The skeptical OSI Director responded with a smirk as he leaned back in his chair to watch Inspector Jack Hanson question Daystrom Institute's star pupil, Katherine Franklin. He observed this 13 year old girl with both admiration and fear of what she could potentially become.

"We'll see soon enough." Oscar added.

Katherine didn't shed a tear at the news of her brother's death but instead cast a cold stare in Oscar Goldman's direction as she continued to answer Inspector Hanson's questions. It was a stare that sent chills through the observing OSI Director.

Back in Washington, Rudy finally left Steve's room after briefing him on the aftermath. Despite the good doctor's anger at Steve for risking his life the way he did, he was very proud of him for all the lives that he helped save at both the crash sight and the Indian Springs complex.

"We have to get going, too, Jaime." Chris said, putting a familiar arm around Jaime's waist. Jaime leaned into him, smiling warmly at the man who – it was now apparent – had replaced Steve in her heart. It was a soul-wrenching sight for Steve, because it confirmed his suspicions that Jaime and Chris were indeed a couple.

"Let's go, Max."

Ignoring Jaime's call, the dog remained at Steve's bedside and then stood back up on its hind legs resting both its head and paws on Steve's lap.

Jaime's heart almost melted watching Max's new-found affection for Steve. She smiled at them both. "I guess you've been officially adopted, Steve." she said, leaving the room in Chris Williams' arms.

"Take good care of him, Max."

Steve leaned back against the pillows, sighing heavily, and watched out the window as Jaime left the facility with Chris. His heart shattered as he saw Chris pull Jaime closer for a long kiss before opening her car door for her. The knowledge that Chris cared deeply for Jaime (Steve could see it in his eyes) helped a bit in soothing his aching spirit, and Steve resolved to put his own feelings for her aside – somewhere deep in his mind where they wouldn't hurt quite so much. If Jaime ever found her way back to him, that love would still be there, like a tiny candle flame too sheltered to flicker out entirely, but if she didn't...Steve wished her only the best.

END


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